16 Jun 2026

I recently delivered a talk about one of the weapons in my book "Allied Weapons that made the difference in WW2" published by Pen and Sword. The host was the Iford branch of the Probus Club. The talk went very and the club’s events manager sent me this message of thanks.."Hi Ray, thank you very much for your talk to us yesterday. It was excellent and very well received by our members...

16 Jun 2026

In my experience, organisations frequently make the following costly mistakes when selecting suppliers and contractors:1 Overemphasis on PriceSelecting suppliers based primarily on cost often leads to hidden risks and higher lifecycle costs.2   Insufficient Due DiligenceFailure to assess financial stability, governance arrangements and operational capability can...

16 Jun 2026

Supplier selection remains one of the most critical activities undertaken by procurement and commercial professionals. The consequences of poor supplier selection can include contract failure, increased costs, operational disruption, reputational damage, and legal disputes.Whilst procurement practices have evolved significantly over the last three decades, the fundamental challenge r...

16 Jun 2026

A current political issue is the continued award of public contracts to KPMG despite prior controversy regarding confidential information leaks, while government reviews continue. The broader commercial lesson is not about KPMG specifically. The market is seeing greater focus on:- Supplier ethics- Reputational risk- Governance failures- Debarment and exclusion mechanisms ...

16 Jun 2026

Contract Management Under the SpotlightRecent research across the UK public sector has highlighted a growing concern: **post-award contract management remains one of the weakest areas of procurement and commercial management**.While many organisations invest significant time and resources into procurement processes and contract awards, far less attention is often given to managin...

16 Jun 2026

DPSS delivers live WorldCC certification training designed to maximise delegate engagement and learning outcomes. Our interactive sessions encourage discussion, problem solving, and knowledge sharing, helping delegates connect theory with real-world application.Our participants benefit from:Experienced instructorsPractical contract management scenariosInteractive workshop...

15 Jun 2026

Recent reports state that inflation and geopolitical supply-chain pressures remain a commercial riskProcurement analysts continue to highlight supply disruption, energy costs, logistics costs and geopolitical events as major drivers of procurement strategy. Recent reports point to rising transportation and warehousing costs and ongoing supply-risk concerns. The Implications for contr...

15 Jun 2026

The growing legal activity surrounding public sector procurement challenges is noteworthy. Courts are actively hearing disputes related to automatic suspensions, tender evaluations, exclusion decisions, and significant procurement exercises under the new regime. Recent cases highlight that procurement litigation remains both active and costly.The implications for commercial managers ...

15 Jun 2026

Public Procurement Reform Moves from Compliance to ConsequenceIf there is one message commercial professionals should take from this week's procurement developments, it is that the era of winning contracts is over; the era of proving contract performance has begun. Across government and UK public-sector procurement, the Procurement Act is shifting attention away from procurement proc...

15 Jun 2026

At DPSS, we believe the greatest value comes from learning directly from experienced practitioners.Our “live” instructor-led WorldCC training programmes are delivered by professionals with extensive experience in commercial management, procurement, contract management, and supplier relationship management.Rather than simply teaching a syllabus, our instructors bring practical exa...